Rebound
by Dean's Girl 2010
Summary: A prohibited hunt goes very wrong for the teenage Winchester's leading to a life threatening injury. Hurt Dean, Teenage Winchester boys Please review :)
1. Chapter 1

REBOUND

Caleb walked in first; he was taking point since he was the oldest though Dean was the more experienced hunter by far. The boys were quiet, serious and focused on the task they had in front of them: finding and ridding the world of one more witch. It was a contrast to the ride over to this particular hunt when they were loudly and adamantly discussing girls, hunting, and smack talking one another. This was the first hunt that the three boys had undertaken alone. John was off on another hunt and had left the boys with Pastor Jim. Pastor Jim was away for the evening and that left three cocky, over confident hunters believing they could easily clear up the little witch problem a nearby town was having.

The hunt looked simple – a lone witch in the woods angered by consistent building on her land had determined to pursue her own form of justice. The boys had been researching her for a week and decided that they could finish the hunt by themselves. It had taken a bit of convincing for the 17 year old Dean to allow his 13 year old brother to go but with a bit of convincing from the 21 year old Caleb, Dean had agreed. The boys were all good hunters, Dean especially.

The boys entered the house silently, alert to any noise or movement that may have been a clue to the witch's' whereabouts. Caleb signaled to his friends to go right while he went left. Dean nodded ensuring that Sam was following close behind him. With the first floor cleared the boys headed toward the two staircases in the house. Dean signaled to Caleb to head up while he and Sam headed down.

Sam and Dean both had their guns drawn and pointed at the floor in front of their feet as they crept down the basement stairs. They reached the bottom and while careful to stay close together surveyed the room around them. "Maybe she isn't home…?" Sam paused as he heard a creak behind him. Suddenly he was pushed into the wall by an unforeseen form. Dean responded instantly, drawing his gun, aiming, and firing twice. The witch closed her eyes and then opened them suddenly. Dean felt a hot pain in his chest and stomach driving him to the ground. He gasped in pain unsure what was causing the problem. His knees held his weight as he slowly drew his hand away from the pained area shocked to find it red and sticky with blood.

"What?" Dean gasped, as he fell the rest of the way to the ground his eyes clouding over with pain. Sam strained against the wall his view blocked by the witch as she stepped toward his brother. She dug her foot into the wound on his stomach inciting a quick inhaled wheeze from the 17 year old hunter. "You know that childhood rhyme? I am rubber you are glue?" The witch smirked removing her foot from the gunshot wound and leaning down closer. "It's a shame you're such a good shot."

"Hey" Caleb yelled from the stairs gaining the witches attention as the two bullets he shot ripped into her chest. She had no time to respond or to spout the previous incantation. The bullets pushed her backwards landing dead next to the wounded hunter.

Caleb rushed to Dean's side followed closely by Sam. Dean's eyes tracked Sammy's movement ensuring that he hadn't suffered any injury from his push against the wall. "What the heck happened? Did she have a gun?" Damien questioned not comprehending how Dean was the one with the bullet holes.

Dean turned his eyes to Damien's, "Apparently she used some kind of rebound spell." Sam replied distraught his eyes wide with concern for his brother.

Caleb noted as Dean's attention refocused on his brother alerting him to the fear, concern, and tears within the youngest Winchester's eyes. "Sam we need the first aid kit. We left it in the Impala. Go grab it, will you." Sam jumped into action his eyes finally leaving the horrific scene of his brother covered in blood. When he was about halfway up the stairs Damien yelled, "Grab blankets too, Sam…lots of them." Sam nodded, once again sprinting up the stairs.

With Sam out of the room Caleb began exploring the wound. "Okay, let's look at what we have here." Caleb stated to himself more than Dean, reaching for the holes ripped in the t-shirt he tore them further until Dean's whole abdomen was exposed. "Oh Dean…" Dean's abdomen was awash in blood and the dark holes that supplied it appeared dark and never ending. "Too low to have hit your heart but it could have punctured a lung." Caleb mused learning down to listen for Dean's breathing. "You sound okay though. The stomach shot is too high to have hit a kidney." Caleb continued monologue-ing, categorizing the injuries. "If the situation were different I would be teasing that your deadly aim was slipping."

"She was shorter than me." Dean managed to gasp.

"Glad you're feeling well enough to defend yourself." Caleb smirked than his face turned serious again. "I have to stop the bleeding. Sam will be back soon than we'll figure out how to get you home." Dean listened to the other hunter, struggling to find his voice amidst the deep pain that seemed to wash over him wave after wave. Finally Caleb moved forward with the plan understanding that Dean couldn't reply. He removed his own shirt and undershirt wadding them up before lining them up over the wounds. Caleb hesitated before pushing the shirts firmly against the destroyed chest. Dean cried out, hating the shifting he felt within his chest, the bullet definitely busted a rib on the way in. "Hang in there Slugger, we'll get you fixed up in no time."

When Sam returned Dean's eyes were closed, his skin ashen, and his body was beginning to shake. Caleb quickly directed Sam to cover Dean up with the blankets and open the first aid kit hoping to find something that could apply pressure to the still bleeding wounds without his hands being involved. "Help me sit him up Sam. We're going to wrap the ace bandage around to provide pressure when we can't. Sam nodded scared as he sat behind his brother's head. "Dean." Caleb paused waiting for his friends' eyes to open and focus on him. "This is going to hurt like hell." Caleb nodded to Sam as they pulled Dean to a sitting position. Dean cried out in agony, his body burned and it was all he could do to keep the food down that they had eaten before coming on this trip. "One second, Dean. I'll be done in one second." Once Caleb finished wrapping the wounds he slowly eased his friend back to the ground disappointed to have only found one exit wound in Dean's back.


	2. Chapter 2

Dean was beginning to lose it, he could feel it. He mind seemed to swim in and out of focus with pain being the only constant. He could occasionally hear Caleb talking through a plan or feel Sam squeeze his hand or arm but everything seemed fuzzy, fake almost. They shouldn't have gone hunting; Dad was going to kill him for this. It was just lucky that he had been the one hurt and not Sammy, if it had been Sammy he never could've forgiven himself.

Caleb was saying something now, the pressure he had been putting on the wounds dissipating; granting him relief from some of the pain he was feeling. The relief was short-lived however as Caleb pulled him into a sitting position. Dean cried out in agony as his shredded muscles attempted to contract and his ribs shifted. He would've whimpered after but he could do nothing but hold his breath as his nerves seemed to fire in every direction. Finally it was over and Caleb softly lowered him back to the ground. How were they going to get out of this?

Caleb stared at the stairs as he sat waiting for Dean to recuperate from sitting.

"We need Pastor Jim…" Sam quietly stated his hand resting on his brother's forearm. "There's no way we can get Dean up the stairs without help." Damien sighed knowing that the 13 year old was right and nodded his head in agreement.

Pulling out his cell phone Caleb hit the second speed dial. He didn't have to wait long for Pastor Jim to pick up, "Caleb. You boys having a good time tonight?" Damien took a deep breath and decided to tell the truth quick; like ripping off a band aid.

"We went after the witch."

"You did what?"

"Dean's hurt…bad. The witch is dead."

"Where are you now?" Pastor Jim replied quickly knowing that if the boys were calling, the injury must be severe.

"In the basement of the witch's house, we can't get Dean up the stairs."

"I'm calling for backup and will be there in 20." Jim said concisely.

"Hurry, Dean needs help…fast." Jim nodded before replying, "I'll send someone over." Already thinking through who was close and capable.

Sam sat beside his brother's head, his eyes trained on his features, trying and often failing to ignore the quickly growing blood stain on the newly placed ace bandages around Dean's middle. His ears were attuned to the conversation that Caleb was having with Pastor Jim. "Help is on the way Dean, just hold on."

Dean's eyes opened appearing dazed and glassy, "Dad?" he questioned.

"No, Dad's out of state remember. We're staying with Pastor Jim." Sam stated concern coloring his tone. Dean nodded his reply.

Caleb looked toward the brothers noticing the blood stain widening. "Sam I need your help. Jim is sending someone to help us. I need you to wait upstairs and bring them down when they get here.

"I don't want to leave Dean." Sam was quick to respond, his middle school defiance starting to show up.

"Sam." A quiet, raspy voice said bringing both boys' attention to Dean's face, "Go upstairs. I'll see you soon."

Sam looked upset but immediately got up and headed to the stairs, quick to follow the orders from his brother.

"I take it you need to try to stop the bleeding again?" Dean said flatly.

Caleb nodded, "Your stomach in particular." Caleb sat beside the younger hunter pushing his hands against the wound causing the hunter to moan and close his eyes tightly in response. "Hang in there."

Rebecca was at home when the call came in; the number coming up as unidentified meant that it could be a hunter thing. Rebecca was the daughter of hunters who never had much of a taste for the blood, guts, and gore of the position unless of course the blood, guts, and gore was all in the process of healing, which was her business now. She had determined to go to college, became a doctor, and besides working in a #1 trauma center she also was on call for any and all hunting related injuries. Picking up the phone Rebecca was short and concise, "Yes?"

"Rebecca?"

"Yea."

"This is Pastor Jim. Listen I know it's been awhile but I'm in a bind. Are you still living over near Hudson's Woods?"

"Yeah, whatcha got?"

"A witch hunt gone wrong, 17 year old injured, bad; I'm on my way but I'm about 20 minutes out. Anyway you could head that direction?"

"Got it. You got an address for me?"

Rebecca jotted down the address stopping only to grab her trauma bag before heading to her car ready for whatever this new case would greet her with.


	3. Chapter 3

Caleb groaned as he looked toward the wound in Dean's chest and the increase of blood that had leaked through the bandage. "Hang on Dean, help will be here soon." He continued looking to Dean's face; his eyes still scrunched closed, "This may hurt…" Damien reached up to Dean's chest and pushed down, at first Dean just grimaced but then a shift occurred under Caleb's hands and the hunter's eyes and mouth flew open gasping for air.

"Dean!?"

Suddenly Caleb's hands weren't the only ones on Dean. He turned to find a young woman pulling him backward. Looking still further back Caleb saw Sam, his eyes widening at the sight of his agitated brother. "What's his name?"

"Dean." Caleb answered the women automatically.

"I need you to hold Dean down, his lung has collapsed. We need to release the pressure."

Caleb nodded and moved to pin Dean's shoulders to the floor; not concerned about who this women was but thankful that someone else had come.

The woman turned her attention to Dean now, "This is gonna hurt for a minute sugar, but it'll be better quick." Throughout the time that it had taken Damien to pin Dean down the woman had made quick work of sanitizing Dean's side, laying out a variety of instruments and draping Dean's left side with a sterile cloth. Without any further ado the woman picked up a scalpel and made a deep and clean cut between Dean's ribs, picked up a long tube and shoved it through the incision, feeding it through until an audible rush of air was heard coming from Dean's side.

The pain that had contorted the young hunters' handsome face diminished immediately, his eyes moving to find the eyes of the person he loved most in the world, his brother.

"Thank God." Caleb said unconsciously, "Who are you?" The woman was just finishing taping the tube that was now sticking out of his friends' side.

"I'm Rebecca, Pastor Jim sent me." The woman, Rebecca said this quickly without pausing to even glance at Caleb, completely consumed with the patient in front of her. "How are you feeling Dean?"

Dean's eyes shifted toward hers, "Peachy."

"Okay, now tell me truthfully; how are you feeling?" Rebecca stated again not willing to take the flippant answer that the hurt hunter had offered.

"Like I got run over by an elephant and gored by a rhino." Dean said, his lame attempt at humor covered truth. Rebecca nodded.

"I'd like to take a look at your abdomen." Dean nodded his response preparing for whatever pain was bound to come.

Rebecca pulled out a pair of scissors and cut the ace bandage that was wrapped around the young man's chest and stomach. "Two gunshot wounds, any exit wounds?"

Caleb stepped forward to where he had backed away hoping to give Rebecca the room she needed, "Only one."

Rebecca nodded her understanding listening to Dean's heart and lung sounds with a stethoscope. "Your lung is holding for now, your heart is strong." Rebecca then started checking Dean's ribs. The silence that had overtaken the room during this assessment was interrupted as Dean yelped pushing himself up only to be pushed back toward the ground by Rebecca. "Your lung was punctured by a rib, that's why it collapsed. Try to relax we don't want it to rip a bigger hole." Dean's face was red, his breathing harsh. Sam moved quickly toward his brother immediately touching him to attempt to calm his older brother.

At that moment Pastor Jim made it to the bottom of the stairs and walked straight over to the Winchester's who were in his care, "You okay, Dean?"

"He was shot twice; the witch did some kind of rebound spell. His lung collapsed but Rebecca fixed it." Sam filled in quickly not giving Dean the chance to answer for himself.

Pastor Jim nodded, "Thanks for coming Rebecca, what are you thinking?"

"I don't like it." She said standing up to look Jim in the eye, "He isn't as stable as I would like to move him in even a normal situation much less in the basement of a building 40 or so minutes from the nearest hospital."

Jim nodded grimacing as he looked at the pain barely contained in the young hunters' face, "What other option do we have?"

"None, we'll bring him back to my place. I have all the medical equipment that we'll need and we won't have to come up with any story about how a minor was shot twice and already has a chest tube."

Jim nodded yet again in reply, "Follow me Caleb, we're going to need to find something to use as a stretcher."

Sam leaned in close to his brother needing to feel his warmth, needing to know he was still there. "I'm fine Sammy." Dean stated understanding the sudden closeness of his brother's body. "You okay?" Sam nodded, through it lacked the certainty of Dean's response.

"I miss Dad…" Sam followed up almost silently.

"Me too, we'll see him soon." Dean assured the younger Winchester.


	4. Chapter 4

Sam leaned in close to his brother needing to feel his warmth, needing to know he was still there. "I'm fine Sammy." Dean stated understanding the sudden closeness of his brother's body. "You okay?" Sam nodded, through it lacked the certainty of Dean's response.

"I miss Dad…" Sam followed up almost silently.

"Me too, we'll see him soon." Dean assured the younger Winchester.

"Okay Dean," Rebecca said getting closer to her patient, "I'm going to put a pressure bandage on. It will help stop the blood but you're going to have to stay very still to ensure that your rib stays in place and doesn't cause anymore damage."

Dean nodded before audibly replying with a 'yes ma'am'. Rebecca set to work knowing that the next 15-20 minutes would prove to be the most painful in the Dean's short life.

Caleb and Pastor Jim returned quickly, a long, though narrow board between them. "This work?" Jim questioned looking toward Rebecca.

"Yeah, come put it right beside Dean." Jim and Caleb quickly did as she said and looked to her for further directions. "The first step is going to need to be all hands on deck. We need to gently and carefully lift Dean onto the board but we need to keep him as close to the ground as possible. If one of us lifts too quickly we could cause further damage to his lung or other internal organs."

Dean blanched slightly but quickly replaced the look with one of no emotion. Jim, Caleb, Sam, and Rebecca moved to positions around Dean's body. "On my count, 1…2…3…lift." The four hunters lifted Dean slightly off the ground and moved him smoothly to his left and onto the awaiting stretcher.

Once done Dean looked still paler, a sweat had broken out across his body, and his lip was bleeding from where he was still biting into it. Rebecca touched his shoulder, "The next part will be easier."

Rebecca was right, now that Dean was on a flat surface the movement caused significantly less anguish and required more trust; trust that Caleb and Pastor Jim would have the strength and dexterity to carry him up the stair and in their ability to judge the width of the 'gurney' they were carry and the doorways they were carrying it through.

Luckily Pastor Jim had brought his truck so the 6 foot gurney fit just perfectly in the bed of the truck. Rebecca hopped in the back with Dean and threw her keys to Caleb. Sam hopped up after, hoping that he would be allowed to stay. The car that the boys had driven to get to the hunt would just have to stay till the morning.

The car ride was agony for Dean; each bump seemed to magnify the agony that his chest and stomach were in. At the beginning of the ride he held back the groans, struggling to keep the pain from even showing on his face but after the first 5 minutes or so Dean couldn't hide the pain anymore. He grunted and groaned as they passed over the roughly hewn road and cried out in pain when Pastor Jim didn't manage to miss a rather large pothole. Sammy's face whitened as he watched the agony play across his brothers' face. Rebecca was concerned about the hunter as well, already preparing for the surgery that would have to be done and the damage that would need to be repaired. Occasionally she placed a hand on Dean's wrist feeling for a pulse and encouraged him that the ride was almost over. Luckily the trip from her house to the witches had not been long, 5 minutes when speeding and about 10 when moving slowly for the sake of fragile wounds. Rebecca hopped out of the back of the truck quickly and waited while the guys unloaded themselves and were ready to yet again lift the make-shift gurney, "Head right to the clinic." She specified to Pastor Jim knowing that he would remember where it was from the last time it had been used.

Once inside the clinic it was time for the transfer. Dean tensed even thinking of the pain he would be in but he steeled himself just the same. "You ready?" Rebecca questioned everyone including Dean.

"Do it." Dean gritted out anxious to be done with the whole moving thing. Rebecca counted to three again before the group did just as before, moving him as one unit onto the awaiting surgical table.

"Okay, let's take a real look at what we have here." The doctor stated almost more to herself than anyone else.

Jim took charge looking toward the anxious boys hovering close to Dean's head, "Boys head to the kitchen." Sam looked about to protest but one look from Jim and he started to back away understanding that his brother needed serious help that couldn't be given with him in the room.

"I'll be right back Dean. Hang in there."

Dean nodded in reply before answering, "See you soon."

Rebecca quickly got to work, glad to have Pastor Jim around to supply things as needed. "Dean we're going to give you something for the pain and start an IV. Once we check things out more thoroughly we'll put you under so we can get your insides sorted out."

"Yes, please..." Dean joked lightly but seriously looking forward to the drugs that Rebecca offered. It didn't take long at all for the doctor to keep her promise because within a few minutes Dean felt the familiar whoosh of good drugs kicking in.

"Let's take off these bandages." Rebecca continued exploring the wounds. "Let's turn him over. I need to see where the exit wound is." Dean braced for the pain that should've developed but the drugs must have been the great kind because Dean barely felt a tinge.

"Okay Dean, we're going to put you out. You have one bullet that is still inside you. I believe that it is stuck somewhere in your side. The bullet doesn't seem like it hit the stomach at all but it definitely did some damage." Rebecca paused as Dean's eyes started to feel heavier and heavier. "Okay Dean count down from 10 for me …" That was the last thing Dean remembered.


	5. Chapter 5

When Dean woke up, he woke to pain, intense, debilitating pain. He gasped alerting his brother to his awareness leading his brother to quickly run to the next room to grab the doctor. Before Sam made it back Dean's gasping had turned into ragged breaths occasionally giving way to a brief whimper of pain. His eyes blinked hazily but often closed again wishing he could go back to his unawareness. Dean's face and body were covered with sweat, his back arching off the bed, straining against hope that he could somehow flee from the pain inside his chest and stomach.

"Sh, sh, sh, sh, sh. Hold on Dean. I'm going to give you something for the pain." He whimpered again unable to form a coherent thought though the agony he was experiencing. It didn't take long for the medication to take effect. Dean felt himself dropping back to the mattress, the pain that had been so prevalent now only visiting his body in ghosts of what it had been. His eyes drifted closed his body worn out and he dropped into a medicated slumber.

Sam watched all of this from Dean's side, watched as he wrestled with the pain, as he gave in to sleep, not missing the tears that had poured down from his brothers eyes. "Why did he have to be in so much pain?" the 13 year old questioned quietly already knowing the reasoning the doctor had given earlier.

"We needed him to wake up, 20 hours is too long for someone to still be under the influence of anesthesia." Rebecca paused looking toward the young boy, "Sam, he'll be better the next time he wakes up. The pain just helped pull him out of it."

Sam sighs before nodding his understanding and resuming his vigil at his brothers right hand side.

Dean woke again an hour or so later this time without the extreme pain. His hand gently graces his kid brothers' head who had fallen asleep precariously perched between the folding chair that he was sitting in and his upper body which shared the edge of Dean's bed.

Rebecca came in quietly, happy to have seen that her charge was awake and looking to be much better than before. "Hello, Dean. I don't know if you'll remember me at all…"

Dean interrupted, "I remember you Doc. Thanks for fixing me up." Rebecca nodded.

"Well the good news is that the bullet that entered into your stomach and exited through your back miraculously missed all vital organs and arteries." Dean nodded knowing that the bad news was still on its way. "Your chest on the other hand was quite the mess. The bullet pierced through the chest wall, breaking a rib, and grazing the lung. The rib exasperated the already grazed lung hence the collapsed lung in the field. The bullet than became lodged on the back side of the lung trapped between the lung itself and the rib cage." Dean nodded again showing that he was following the story. "Long story short, it was a long, complicated surgery and you're going to have a long recovery but you're going to be okay." Dean nodded yet again.

"Has anyone called our Dad?" Dean asked his voice rough and low.

Rebecca nodded, "Pastor Jim did. I believe that he is on his way." Dean nodded again, his eyes drifting to his younger brother.

"How long have I been out?"

"About a day, hence the harsh wake up call." Dean nodded yet again. "Get some rest. Pastor Jim and Caleb will be back soon from finishing up the hunt and Sammy hasn't slept a wink since you were brought in; a couple hours cat nap is exactly what the doctor ordered."

Dean smirked at the pun-ny remark since she was in fact the doctor but quickly realized just how tired he was as his eyes drifted shut and his mind returned to blankness.

About two hours later Dean stirred again, this time feeling a tinge of pain as he adjusted on the bed and opened his eyes. Sam was awake this time and had eagerly leaned forward to look into his brothers eyes. "Dude…personal space." Dean moaned but he was just as happy to see Sam as Sam was to see him.

Sam leaned back on his chair slightly though his body still leaned toward his older brother, "How are you feeling?"

"Swell." Dean responded, Sam rolled his eyes but let the comment go untested. At that moment Caleb and Pastor Jim walked into the room.

"Ahhh, Dean. It's good to see you up." Pastor Jim exclaimed moving to grasp Dean's offered hand.

"Yeah, thanks for all your help, Jim." Jim waved off the thanks while Caleb walked nearer his friends' sick bed.

"You're looking a little rough…" Caleb ribbed gently.

"Yeah, well; I'd still give you a run for your money." Dean teased back immediately breaking the tension that had arisen between the two hunters. Dean was certain that Caleb felt somehow responsible for the hunt and the southern direction it had headed.

"I'm glad you're doing better." Caleb stated plainly, Dean smiled but stayed silent; it was time to let the chick-flick moment die.

"So when is Dad getting here?" Dean questioned lightly trying not to sound too eager or needy.

"He said he should be here within the week. He's glad you're alright but had a couple things to do in order to finish up the hunt." Jim filled in hesitantly, knowing that Dean would be hurt.

Emotion crossed Dean's face albeit briefly before he moved on to another topic. "The witch?"

Caleb took this one, "Salted and burned." Dean nodded glad to hear the job at least ended right.

"Well gentlemen, I'm going to leave you to catch up. I'll be by soon; I'm glad you're getting better Dean."

The boys laughed for awhile keeping the conversation light and moving careful not to deal on heavy topics like the close encounter they had or the parental figure that was sorely lacking from the equation. The boys brought the visit to an end when Rebecca came to give Dean his next dose of pain killers and he could barely keep his eyes open.


	6. Chapter 6

It was the third day of Dean's recovery that the absence of his father really started to weigh on the young man's mind. When Sam left his side to take a shower with some convincing and Dean was left with only Caleb in the room he broached the subject. "So, how pissed was John when you and Jim called him?" the hunter started attempting to sound nonchalant.

Caleb looked up from the magazine he was looking at, "I mean he wasn't happy…" he trailed off but continued when he saw that Dean wanted more details. "He was upset that we could be that stupid and he was concerned about you." Dean nodded, hoping to hear more. "We told him as much as we could about your injury but you were being prepped for surgery at the time so we didn't have a lot of details – he asked us to call when we were out." Caleb stopped glancing down at the magazine in his lap.

"So…" Dean prodded.

"So…" Caleb sighed a little knowing that Dean was measuring love in the reaction. "We called him after surgery. He was glad to hear that you were okay and asked us to keep him updated. Told us he owed us one."

Dean face fell for just a minute before he put on his usual swagger, "Figured. He was on an important hunt, thought he may have found a lead on what killed our mother."

Caleb nodded, "Yeah, that's what he said." Dean nodded as awkward silence filled the room - it was time to get up.

Dean saw and seized his moment of freedom that very night. It was dark out, Rebecca was working a shift at the hospital, and the other hunters in the house had called it an early night. The hunter slowly pushed aside the blankets that had covered him, and slowly eased his body up to a seated position. The pull on his stitches and the shifting in his abdomen made him hiss quietly and press an arm against the wound but it wasn't going to stop him. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and pushed up grunting twice with the effort it took and the pain it created. Grasping his IV pole, Dean slowly made his way through the one story house to the bathroom just getting there as he felt his body begin to shake, collapsing without grace onto the closed toilet lid. Dean panted heavily, his face ashen with the effort he just put forth and it was there on that toilet seat that Dean allowed his true emotions to rise to the surface: his Dad didn't come. He had almost died and his Dad didn't come. Dean felt a tear slip from his left eye and he angrily brushed it away. The truth was, this was his fault in the first place, if he hadn't agreed that they could handle the witch they never would've gone on the hunt and he should've known better than to take a gun to a witch hunt without spell backup. His Dad couldn't and wouldn't allow his son's stupidity ruin his chance at finding what killed his wife nor should he.

Dean rubbed his face, hard. How could he be so selfish?! To think that his Dad should be here to pat his head and sing Mary Had a Little Lamb with him when the injury had been his fault was ridiculous. He deserved what he had gotten; he had made a dumb choice and even worse was the realization that it could've been Sammy who was laid up or worse yet dead. The Winchester pushed himself up abruptly, almost relishing the pain that reverberated through his mid section; it only served him right for what he had done. Dean stared at himself in the mirror, his gray face becoming still whiter from his defiance of the life threatening injury. He peed as he had meant to and quickly pushed his way out of the restroom. The shaking already returning along with waves of pain but Dean pushed them aside confident in his shame; he deserved this, this pain and Dean was willing to pay the price.


	7. Chapter 7

The morning came slowly for Dean, his walk to the restroom had increased the pain he was experiencing dramatically leaving him to toss and turn throughout the night. When Sam came to check on his in the morning his eyes were bloodshot and large dark circles stood out against the paleness of his brothers skin. "Dean?" Sam stated cautiously, "Are you okay?"

Dean's eyes opened from their half closed position, "I'm fine Sammy."

"You don't look fine." Dean grunted in response, the truth was he didn't feel fine either and the discomfort had little to do with the bullet wounds in his abdomen although they didn't feel good either. He felt sick, like deeply desiring to puke sick.

Sam seemed to wait for a response, confused when he didn't really get one. "Do you want some breakfast? I was going to make bacon and eggs…" Sam trailed off as Dean lunged to one side and threw up over the side of his hospital bed – "Oh gosh, Dean. I'll get Rebecca!" Sammy stated before running off to find the doctor.

Dean collapsed back into the bed he had left. His forehead dripped with sweat and yet he felt unbelievable cold – shivering slightly as he attempted to catch his breath. Sam wasn't done long before he had returned, not with Rebecca but with a surprising figure. "Dad?" Dean asked weakly, hardly believing his fevering eyes.

John Winchester took in this scene of his eldest son quickly and surely before jumping into action. "He's burning up. Sam go find this doctor you were telling me about, I need to know what meds she has him on."

As Sam left the room John stepped up to his oldest son's bed and gently rested his palm on Dean's forehead – attempting to get a read on his temperature as Dean's big eyes followed him glassily.

John didn't have to wait long for Rebecca, "What is he on?" he questioned with a sense of urgency.

"Pain killers and an antibiotic – to reduce the likelihood of infection…"

"What antibiotic?"

"I just started him on Cefazolin last night." The doc said matching the fathers urgency.

"He's allergic, I never told him. I was always just there." Rebecca immediately jumped into action. Moving quickly toward her patient she appraised his condition and stopped the medicine drip that had been poisoning his body. Reaching for his pulse she paused just a moment before busying herself with fixing an antihistamine solution to counteract the allergic reaction.

10 minutes later, Dean was sleeping; his fever diminishing and the puke that had covered the floor cleaned up. Rebecca took a deep breath before turning to the father she had yet to meet, "He'll be okay now. It's fortunate you showed up when you did. There are not many people who are allergic to Cafazolin. It wouldn't have been my first guess."

John nodded gazing at his pale son, "I found out when Dean was when he was 10; nasty case of appendicitis but we almost lost him from the allergic reaction."

Rebecca nodded her head, "I'm Rebecca. You must be John." John nodded offering her his hand. "Thanks for taking care of my son." Rebecca nodded, "Dean will be asleep for a long time. If you need rest or food, I'd suggest taking it now." John nodded but his eyes just returned to his son.

Dean woke to his Dad's brown eyes watching him thoughtfully, "Hey…" Dean spoke hating how his voice sounded to his own ears he quickly cleared his throat and tried again filling the quiet before his Dad had a chance to talk. "I'm so sorry sir. We were so stupid. I should have waited for you and I never should have allowed Sam to come along on the hunt." John's oldest son paused, his eyes cast down at the white sheet covering his lap.

John sat silently staring at his boy, not sure what to say or how to say it. Dean was right they were stupid, beyond foolish and Sam never should've been put in that type of situation and yet anger at what should have been done differently wasn't what was on his mind, it was the relief of knowing that his son; Mary's son was okay. John nodded slightly leaning back in his seat causing it to groan at the change, "For future reference you're allergic to Cafazolin…"

Dean looked up toward his Dad noting the lack of correction that he knew he deserved, "Good to know."

The Winchester's fell into a quiet peace, not stating the depth of emotion that each was feeling, Sam would hate it but it suited Dean and John just fine.


End file.
